My Name Is Khan

The canvas is huge. Two of India’s premier production houses, Dharma Productions led by the enigmatic director Karan Johar, and Red Chillies owned by India’s first truly global superstar Shah Rukh Khan, have collaborated with entertainment giants, Fox Star Studios and Fox Searchlight Pictures, to bring a truly international quality product in the form of MY NAME IS KHAN. The handling of the music department has been entrusted to Karan’s favourite, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and with the kind of music that the trio has produced for Karan. So, the stage is set for another melodiously soulful outing and it’s with humongous expectations that we explore, rather look forward to savoring the music album of MY NAME IS KHAN.

SONG

SINGER

RATING

Sajda

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shankar Mahadevan and Richa Sharma

Tere Naina

Shafqat Amanat Ali

Noore E Khuda

Adnan Sami, Shankar Mahadevan and Shreya Ghoshal

Allah Hi Rahem

Rashid Khan

Khan – Theme

Strings

Rang De

Shankar Mahadevan, Suraj Jagan

1. Sajda

Singers: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shankar Mahadevan and Richa Sharma

Richa Sharma breaks into the song Sajda, indeed her careers best. It would be wrong to classify ”Sajda” as just another ‘sufi’ based ‘qawwali’ composition, because it is much more than just that and the reasons are Shankar Mahadevan and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, who together make ”Sajdaa” a memorable outing. The orchestrations are delightfully Indian with superb display of ‘rubab’, ‘shehnai’ and ‘dholak’.Also there should be special mention about the lyrics, meaningful and touches your heart The result is amazing compositions that reverberates, especially the beautiful rhythmic chorus, and keeps coming back to calm the nerves and enriches the senses. The track is captivating and easily manages to sway you by its sheer verve.

2. Tere Naina

Singers: Shafqat Amanat Ali

Tere Naina is another romantic number with little twists and turns. It’s a lovable love ditty that changes from romantic to ‘qawwali’ and to a light musical tune and the subtle change is done with such dexterity that the listener is too taken in by the beauty of the track to notice. Only light musical instruments like beads, ‘sitar’, ‘tabla’ have been used to give the song that soft feel of romance, and the harmonium that forms the essential part of a ‘qawwali’. However, rendered by Shafqat Amanat Ali ‘Tere Naina’ is pretty much in the same mould as ‘Sajda’.

3. Noor E Khuda

Singers: Adnan Sami, Shankar Mahadevan and Shreya Ghoshal

The tune chosen is absolutely stunning. The stage is set with Shankar’s outcry to the almighty and Adnan in his inimitable style is excellent as his expressive and rich vocals convey the cry for help of the lead protagonist. Shreya’s classical singing strikes right at the heart. The beautiful background orchestrations are in perfect harmony with the situation of the song and the use of Indian musical instruments, like ‘dholak’, ‘tabla’ and ‘sitar’ is top class, but it is the guitar which has been used to perfection to convey the various moods. The song comes to a beautiful climax as all the three main artists as well as the chorus join in to make it a song pleading for peace and harmony from God.

4. Allah Hi Rahem

Singers: Rashid Ali

The soundtrack would have been incomplete without Allah Hi Rahem as its lyrics are totally devotional dealing in ‘zhikr’ (in Hindi ‘jaap’) of God. ‘Allah Hi Reham’ is a number that is heavily ‘sufi’ in its nature. Rashid Khan completely takes control over the song,. Furthermore, the harmonium, the male chorus and the heavy strings music in the background, put the piece into a different category. ‘Though it is different from other tracks it merely turns out to be the kind of number that one has heard and seen before and hence can be just given a quick hear and forgotten.

5. Khan Theme

Singer: Strings

‘Khan Theme’ which follows next is an extremely well orchestrated piece that boasts of a live recording, a rarity in today’s time, and has a mesmerizing appeal to it The theme is performed by Bombay Film Orchestra and is very similar to a Hollywood style theme. With the electronic piano, violins and strings dominating the instruments’ scene, the piece explores the various themes of the movie. The orchestration is vivid throughout and one can instantly perceive what the movie is about. The ‘Khan Theme’ has the standard ethereal electronic vibes. Lasting close to two and a half minutes, it has a pensive feel to it which pretty much follows the theme, mood and expected treatment that one expects from the narrative.

6. Rang De

Singers: Shankar Mahadevan and Suraj Jagan

Lastly comes Shankar Mahadevan and Suraj Jagan sung ‘Rang De’ which is a complete departure from what one has heard in the album so far and takes a soft rock route. Since it’s Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy at the helm of affairs, there is a slight Indian classical touch to it as well (at places) but overall ‘Rang De’ stays on to be a quintessential rock track which brings home the message of peace and togetherness.

Album

Verdict :

Karan Johar’s music has continued to evolve and though it’s hard to ignore the romantic breeze evidenced in his films, the fact is that he has in fact strived to be different, though not completely but at least partially, in each of his outings. in My Name Is Khan, he along with Shankar Ehsaan Loy and lyricist Niranjan Iyengar have brought not a partial but a substantial difference to the way music in his films is being looked at. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy mainly experiments with the new genre, which is complicated and risky too. The music neither needs to be too commercial nor too serious – it just requires the right balance to accommodate the feel into the story; a story with a happy ending, but which is more prone to bring tears, striking emotions and stark reality in the story telling at first. My Name Is Khan achieves its aim for most of the part. Though not all but at least one or more songs are worthy of being getting place in one’s music collection. Romantic, Depressing, Inspirational, Devotional and soul touching songs all in one album, so GO FOR IT AND ENJOY.